In referring to this season, she often would say, "In what amazing condescension did the Lord deal with a sinful worm of the dust in the abundant communications of his grace and Spirit then vouchsafed!" Frequently, from five o'clock in the morning until a late hour at night, the soul was so filled with believing views of the blessed Jesus, as a King and a Priest upon his throne for ever, that scarcely a wandering thought would be suffered to obtrude or draw away the mind; and, sometimes, in secret prayer and spiritual meditation, the Divine character and perfections in the scheme of apostate man's redemption by a crucified Redeemer, the love of Christ, the promises of the covenant, and the joys and glories of heaven, were exhibited by the Spirit with such a vividness of spiritual perception, as to be too bright for mortal eyes to behold; and, as the tide of light, life, and love continued to flow into the soul, she was made to cry out, like the godly John Welsh, "Hold, Lord, thy weak vessel can contain no more." It was evident, that on the mount of meditation, faith, and prayer, she was permitted, at this time, as from the top of Pisgah to behold the goodly land, the heavenly Canaan, and to enjoy many precious seasons of blessed communion with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. In embracing the "great mystery of godliness," God manifest in the flesh, she saw that a full atonement had been made for sin, and an everlasting righteousness brought in; that the Son of God had come to seek, and save those

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that were lost; that he had conquered sin and death; that he lives as Intercessor and Advocate with the Father; and that, therefore, believers should rejoice in their happy relation to God as his adopted children and heirs, and in their union to the Son of the Father as being members of his body, and co-heirs with him, and that they are living below their privilege when they are not filled" with joy and peace in believing."

As her beloved parent drew near the close of his life, she had the happiness of witnessing his growth in grace, and advancing meetness for glory. As a ground of comfort to him at the thought of leaving her, she reminded him that the God who had done so great things for him, was, "the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever," and would continue to supply all her need; the fulfilment of which declaration, she would say, had been sweetly realized by her in the whole of her subsequent life, as she could apply to herself the Psalmist's words: 66 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up." She often spoke of the 103d Psalm as having been made particularly precious to her at this time of need, dwelling upon the words, "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him," as expressive of the exquisite tenderness of the Divine compassion; and she would go on commenting upon the promise, "But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's

children." The mercy of God, from everlasting in its counsels, and in its consequences, was a theme on which she ever delighted to expatiate. "The springs," she would say, "are always full, and the streams of mercy always flowing unto thousands of generations of those that keep his covenant, and claim its provisions and privileges for themselves; and to make his people truly, completely, and eternally happy, God declares, I will be their God;' takes them not only into covenant, but into communion with himself, gives them an interest in Christ's fulness, and makes over to them all the benefits of his glorious undertaking as Mediator-all he has done, all he is doing, all he has promised in the gospel, all he hath prepared in heaven-all is theirs ;" and she would sum all up by saying, "What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness."

Not very long after her father's death, a young man, Mr William Johnstone, a member of a highly respectable family in Dumfriesshire, paid his addresses to her, which, after prayerful deliberation, she accepted. His business requiring his personal presence in Newfoundland, eight years elapsed before they saw it to be their duty to fulfil their engagement. Many providences occurred during this long period, which called for the exercise of faith and patience, and which proved to her salutary discipline; for she endeavoured to cast her every care upon her covenant God, believing that he would perfect what concerned

his glory in her and by her, leaving all in his gracious hands as to the issue of her future lot, and actively giving herself to his service in a variety of works of faith and labours of love, for the benefit of her fellowmen, both as regarded their temporal and spiritual interests.

It was her earnest desire with regard to the object of her affections, that the relation might never be formed, unless it were a union ratified in heaven, each of them first savingly united to Christ, and then married in the Lord. Very remarkable were some of the seasons she had of intense solicitude for the spiritual life and health of her betrothed; and many were the precious promises she was enabled to lay hold upon and plead in his behalf, which, she afterwards said, she had lived to see graciously fulfilled, both in the temporal and spiritual blessings bestowed so richly upon him.

By a few extracts from two manuscript books, found among her papers after her death, something respecting the exercises of her mind during these years may be gathered. The first is dated—

"GREENOCK, 5th July 1811.

"O Lord, enable me to record this to thy glory, the good of my never-dying soul, and the disappointment of all my spiritual 'enemies.'

"I write this in order to comfort me in future days of darkness which it may please God, in his infinite wisdom, to visit me with, before I leave this transitory

world.

This day, and many days past, have been spent in much want of comfort, owing to indwelling sin and prevailing corruption, which has made me fear lest I should be deceiving myself, when I would lay claim to an interest in the blessed Redeemer ; but he who delights in showing mercy has heard my desires, although I was unable to utter them, by giving me a clear scriptural view of his being the God of my youth. How delightful is it to look back on that sweet period, when, in highly favoured moments, I was often enabled by his grace to make choice of God in Christ for my God and portion, for time and eternity; nor was this done in a careless manner, but with all the powers of my soul, utterly distrusting my own strength, and relying wholly on the covenant grace and strength of my Redeemer to enable me to be faithful unto death. Surely nothing but the unmerited grace of that God who is, 'The same yesterday, to-day, and for ever,' inclined my heart to this, which is by nature at enmity with him. I will, therefore, trust in his well-ordered covenant, that he who has begun the good work in my soul, will, by the power of his grace, carry it on, and perfect it in me at the coming of Jesus Christ, although my faith is often weak and wavering. Praise the Lord, then, O my soul, and forget not all his gracious benefits."

"GREENOCK, 7th Sept. 1811. "Lord thou hast been afflicting me gently, in great kindness and tender mercy. I confess, if thou wert